One on one Adventures #14
A SICKNESS
IN SILVERTON
by Joseph Browning An adventure for one Druid levels 3-5
Credits
Contents
AUTHOR: JOSEPH BROWNING COVER ARTIST: SCOTT PURDY
Adventure Background............................................................... 2 The Greater Silverton Area ......................................................... 3 On the Road Again ...................................................................... 4 Eight Up, Ten Down .................................................................... 4 Don’t Croak................................................................................... 5 Flaming Sigils ............................................................................... 6 A Scout ......................................................................................... 6 The Flaming Grove ...................................................................... 7 Outside the Dwarf-Hole.............................................................. 7 The Dwarf Hold ........................................................................... 8 Concluding the Adventure ....................................................... 15 Pre-generated Character ........................................................... 15 OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a .....................................16
INTERIOR ARTISTS: KISS MÁRTON GYULA, WILLIAM MCAUSLAND, AND THE FORGE CARTOGRAPHY AND EDITING: JOSEPH BROWNING LAYOUT: SUZI YEE One on One Adventures are for one player and one GM. However, they are easily modied for a traditional party of four players and one GM.
Compatibility with the Pathnder Roleplaying Game requires the Pathnder Roleplaying Game from Paizo Publishing, LLC. See http: //paizo.com/pathnderRPG for more information on the Pathnder Roleplaying Game. Paizo Publishing, LLC does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product.
Adventure Background Deep in his wooded subterranean home, a mad svirfneblin is conducting alchemical experiments, much to the dismay of all that live in a nearby small underground forest. The water that ushes his laboratory clean so pollutes the water that the ora and fauna are changing; even the trees twist and turn an unhealthy hue. The sick trees are secreting a phosphoric liquid that’s draining into the river, causing a debilitating sickness among the Halings downstream but which does not affect other races. Unfortunately, Silverton is populated with mostly Halings and the hamlet is crippled right before harvest.
Adventure Synopsis Upon entering Silverton, the Band of Three ask the PC for help. There are numerous clues that lead to the water as the source of the illness that has befallen the settlement, prompting the PC to move upriver through the Flaming Forest, where a grove sacred to the druidic people lies. There the PC can consult with nature and discover she must travel to the great falls and head underground to end the plight of Silverton.
Silverton The malaise has left its mark not just on Silverton, but on the outlying farms. Read the following as the PC approaches the hamlet. The sound of harvest that greeted you a few miles back is eerily absent. Meadows have not been mowed, the gardens are choked with weeds, and the passing breeze rufes the overripe grain in the elds. A pair of large oaks on either side of the road cast an umbrella of shade beside a dusty sign that reads “Silverton, home to 98 souls.” A high pitched voice comes from behind the tree, “I don’t suppose you are any good with a scythe, because there’s work to be done.”
Pearl Bracegirdle (LG Female Haling warrior 4): Pearl is the leader of the Band of Three (Pearl, Violet, Holman) and her opinion is highly regarded by all in the hamlet even if her lighthearted demeanor would belie her wisdom. Pearl is still weakened, but she is better than most of Silverton’s inhabitants. Pearl has her own theories, believing it’s something in the water. She has been boiling hers and has experienced a slight recovery, but she had difculties convincing the rest of the hamlet to follow her suggestion to boil all their water before they fell sick. Violet Chubb (LG Female Haling warrior 3): Violet is a quiet and demur Haling. She prefers to let Pearl do the talking and follows the will of the group. She has followed Pearl’s lead and started boiling her water and she is recovering slowly. She spends most of her time in the eld making a small dent in the overgrown elds. Holman Burrows (NG Male Haling rogue 2): Holman is an excellent farmer with a knack for picking up items that aren’t his. The hamlet knows of his predilection and when anything of value goes missing, Holman’s usually found to be the “borrower.” He’s a good-natured fellow and often returns things before their missed. He tried the life of the adventurer, but his paralyzing fear of the undead quickly nixed that choice. Holman is working the elds with the others, much to his frustration as he is the only real farmer in the bunch. Bofgrim Dwjyr (LG Male Dwarf expert 4): Bofgrim’s been in the hamlet for over 3 years, prospecting the nearby hills for the silver that must have once been here to provide the hamlet’s name. He doesn’t believe that the hamlet was named after Otho Silverleaf and is convinced that silver lies somewhere in the area. The Halings think him a bit daft, but he’s harmless, strong as an ox, and willing to help any in need. That said, he’s not looking for adventure - he’s looking for a mine. Bofgrim believes it his dwarven hardiness that’s prevented any sickness and thinks that Alton’s immune because he’s more pickle than Haling by now.
Behind one of the oak trees is Pearl Bracegirdle, the leader of the Band of Three, a militia that guards the hamlet. If the PC engages in conversation, Pearl informs the PC that all farmers are too sick to work the elds, and she is hiring any willing hands to help with harvest. If the PC shows any interest in the illness or if Pearl sees any hint that the PC has any healing or spell-casting abilities, she asks the PC if she can do anything about the illness. Upon investigation, the illness is intriguing. The hamlet is mostly Halings, and the lone dwarf in the hamlet seems unaffected. A Haling PC that drinks the water must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer -2 Con damage and is immediately exhausted, and she must make that save each time she drinks the water; if the PC is not a Haling, she is not affected. Delay poison, neutralize poison and remove disease has no effect, and cure spells do not lift the weakness or lethargy. The water does not detect as magic or poison, but if brought into a dark environment, it gives off a faint green glow. Purify food and drink removes the glow from the water and makes it safe to drink. Rest eases the exhaustion and subsequent fatigue, and the Con damage is restored with a lesser restoration, but too many villagers are too far in their sickness. They don’t have time to wait out the illness or the wealth to spend on magic, and harvest will not delay its arrival. Most of the hamlet is bedridden and while the PC can examine them, they are not much help in gathering information or answering questions. However, the PC can interact with the following villagers of note.
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SILVERTON OVERLAND MAP The Falls
Flaming Forest Flaming Grove The Cliff
The Creek
Mussy River
Silverton
1 inch = 3 miles SILVERTON
Alton Greenlock (CN Male Haling bard 1): Alton is the oldest, and most worthless, of the 6 children of Minto and Daisy Greenlock. He’s a wastrel that spends his time drunk and rowdy. He swears that not a drop of water has passed his lips in 10 years. If the PC chooses to try and help the harvest using muscle and magic, she can get a few more farmers up and on their feet and all together they’ll manage to get about 3/4 of the harvest in. It’ll be a lean year for Silverton, but they’ll survive. Doing this will take a week’s time, during which the river becomes even more polluted, so much so that tiny ecks of phosphorus within the water are seen glowing at night. The PC can certainly use her magic to stay and alleviate the suffering in Silverton, but as long as the source of the water is contaminated, the problem will not end and could spread further downriver. If that train of thought does not naturally occur to the player, one of the NPCs can bring up such thought to nudge the PC upriver through the Flame Forest to the falls. If asked about what’s upriver, the locals will gladly tell the PC of the Flame Forest (a place where some trees bear ame-like sigils upon them) and they will tell her to be wary of goblins in the forest, as they sometimes roam within the green boughs. In addition, the PC can learn that the river is navigable up to the grand fall and that behind the fall is some sort of abandoned dwarven dwelling. The Halings never go in, so the PC can gain no information concerning what lurks within. If Holman’s around when discussing the old dwarfhole, he’ll insist that there’s undead within, “Those evil things are everywhere, you know.”
Hamlet Conventional; AL NG GP Limit 100 gp; Assets 980 gp
DEMOGRAPHICS Population 98 Type isolated (Haling 98%, dwarf 1%)
AUTHORITY FIGURES Pearl Bracegirdle, LG female Haling warrior 4
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS Violet Chubb, LG female Haling warrior 3; Holman Burrows, NG male Haling rogue 2; Bofgrim Dwjyr, LG male Dwarf expert 4; Alton Greenlock, CN male Haling bard 1
OTHERS Hamlet militia, warrior 1 (x10), expert 1 (x5), commoner 1 (x78)
THE MUSSY RIVER The Mussy gains its name honorably, as it tends to rise over its banks with yearly regularity, mussing up the nearby lands, but providing the rich soil upon which the Halings of Silverton rely. It’s an ambling river, favoring slow speeds over fast and there are only a few places where crossing it could be considered dangerous as long as one can swim. Traveling along the banks of the Mussy is an easy affair, its regular ooding keeping the shores clear, until one enters the Flaming Forest. A small feeder rill ows out of the Silverton Hills into the Mussy. The Halings have no real name for it, but many a young Haling has snuck away against the wishes of his elders to hunt craysh in the slow waters of the stream. It’s known as “the creek.”
The Greater Silverton Area There are several geographical features of note near Silverton. Below are brief descriptions of each.
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Silverton grows small behind you, its elds dappled with sunlight. The fording of the Mussy River is a no-nonsense affair and you’re quickly headed upriver, the edge of the Flaming Forest clearly visible. There’s a path, of sorts, along the west bank. Upon your arrival, deer hoof prints identify the path as an animal trail.
THE FLAMING FOREST A forest of obvious age, the Flaming Forest is lled with tall, ancient trees. The Halings of Silverton rarely fell trees from the forest, but they do journey into the edges to harvest falling limbs and for the occasional tree. They’ve focused on the part of the forest along the banks of the Mussy because oating wood downstream is a lot easier than dragging it across the ground. Within the Flaming Forest is an ancient abandoned Druidic shrine. It’s likely the PC will discover it and it’s described later. The Halings, nor the goblins that occasional scout within the woods for that matter, know nothing about the place as it’s warded to keep non-Druids out.
Traveling along the bank of the Mussy, she’ll reach the rst encounter by mid-afternoon.
Eight Up, Ten Down Read the following text when the PC approaches the area. You work your way along the west bank of the Mussy. The tall trees heavily bend over the river here, forming a latticework completely lled in by at least 4 different types of creeper vine. The vines are drinking in the light and their late-blooming owers ll the air with just the slightest scent.
THE SILVERTON HILLS These craggy and rough mounds east of Silverton bear the same name as the settlement. There’s little of value here the lands too inclined for crops, no metals or quality stones abound, and even goats would be a bad idea due the wolves that are sometimes heard baying within. The Halings rarely enter the hills, but the dwarf Bofgrim Dwjyr is rather familiar with them. He believes there’s silver in them thar hills, but he has yet to nd any.
Hidden in the boughs over the river is a giant spider. This spider has an unusual method of hunting. It strings a thin strand of web across the path along the western side of the river and attaches the other end to one of its rear legs. The wire is of strong, non-sticky web, and the spider anchors the wire to the shoreline with a sticky bulb. Whenever it feels a strong tug along the line, the spider anchors itself to a s tout tree limb with a new silken thread, jumps off its bough towards the water, and pulls the sticky silk bulb against the triggering creature. The victim is then stuck to the web and the web is stuck to the spider that just jumped off a tree. Typically, the victim is pulled up over the water and right into the clutches of the spider dangling from the other end of the silken thread. The PC will need to make a DC 20 Perception check to notice the almost-invisible spider silk trip wire across the pathway. A failure means the PC continues on and triggers the trap, ending the round hanging upside down over the river right next to a hungry giant spider. If the PC avoids the trap, the spider ignores the PC. If the PC triggers the trap however, read the following text.
THE CLIFF The Halings are not masters of naming, obviously. This tall cliff (over 70 feet in some places) rears up in the lands west of Silverton. It travels for miles in all directions and it commonly considered the boundary point between the barbaric and the civilized. Upon the plateau, goblins and other foul beasts are more common and none of the Halings have ventured up the cliff.
On the Road Again More than likely, the PC sets off upriver with only her trusted Mushroom at her side. There’s a slight chance she could convince one of the NPCs to go with her, but the offer would have to be a good one given the state of the hamlet at the moment. Read the following text when she sets off.
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STATISTITICS
You feel a slight pressure against your shin, a quick wet popping noise to the left and you’re suddenly pulled out over the river by some invisible force straight towards a dark shadow descending from the boughs above the water. Upside down now, you see the blurry shadow clearer eight legs attached to a body as big as you and two fangs searching for vital juices.
The giant spider has surprise against the PC. It will attack at a -1 do the odd circumstances of the trap. However, the PC will attack at a -3; hanging upside down by a silken thread dangling over a river isn’t where most would choose combat. The ght will continue until the spider has fewer than 6 hit points, at which point it will ee into the boughs above, dropping the still stuck PC into the Mussy. If the PC kills the spider, its weight still acts as a counterweight, leaving up to the PC how to determine the best way to extricate herself from the predicament. Falling into the Mussy at this point is a poor choice, regardless the reason. Many successful hunts have brought a giant crab to the river bottom here, feeding off the shells of the drained spider victims. Falling into the water brings the attention of the crab which swims/crawls to the surface and attacks in two rounds after a splash. If brought to lower than 10 hit points, the crab ees back under the surface, hiding in the muck at the bottom of the Mussy.
GIANT SPIDER
Abilities Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Base Atk +2; CMB +4 (+8 grapple); CMD 15 (27 vs. trip) Skills Perception +4, Swim +10; Racial Modifers +4 Perception SQ water dependency
SPECIAL ABILITIES Water Dependency (Ex) Giant crabs can survive out of the water for 1 hour per point of Constitution. Beyond this limit, a giant crab runs the risk of suffocation, as if it were drowning.
Don’t Croak About a mile and a half upriver from the spider’s trap, the Mussy attens out into a marshy area. Within the marsh, in a pit specically dug by the occupying giant toad, waits the large bufonid for passing prey. The toad’s not picky in the least about what it puts in its belly, and the PC looks like she’ll do just ne. Read the following when the PC enters the marshy area. The trail becomes easier to follow as the land softens beneath your feet - the animal tracks deepening in the earth. The Mussy is out of sight just east of you, but it must spread out into the trees in this area, for not only is the soil damp, but patches of standing water glisten beneath the trees. A few minutes later, you’re looking over a marshy area of no more than a half-mile’s width. The trail you trod meanders through the terrain, following the more solid ground as it makes its way across and back towards the Mussy.
CR 1
N Medium vermin 400 XP Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
DEFENSE
In the middle of the marsh waits the great toad. It’s dug a deep pit next to the path and waits, only its eyes above the mucky green water. Detecting the toad requires a DC 15 Perception check. Failure results in the toad achieving surprise.
AC 14, touch 13, at-footed 11 (+1 armor, +3 Dex) hp 16 (3d8 +3) Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1 Immune mind-affecting effects
GIANT TOAD
OFFENSE
N Medium Animal Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. Melee bite +2 (1d6 plus poison) Special Attacks web (+5 ranged, DC 12, hp 2)
DEFENSE AC 12, touch 11, at-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 natural) hp 15 (2d8+6) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will -1
STATISTITICS Abilities Str 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15 (27 vs. trip) Skills Climb +16, Perception +4 (+8 in webs), Stealth +7 (+11 in webs); Racial Modiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth (+8 in webs), +16 Climb
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee bite +3 (1d6+2 plus grab) or tongue +3 touch (grab) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (15 ft. with tongue) Special Attacks pull (tongue, 5 feet), swallow whole (1d4 bludgeoning damage, AC 10, 1 hp), tongue
SPECIAL ABILITIES Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save.
GIANT CRAB N Medium vermin Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
CR 1 400 XP
STATISTITICS
CR 2
Abilities Str 15, Dex 13, Con 16, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 6 Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+7 grapple); CMD 14 (18 vs. trip) Feats Lightning Reexes Skills Acrobatics +9 (+13 jumping), Perception +3, Stealth +5, Swim +10; Racial Modiers +4 Acrobatics (+8 jumping), +4 Stealth
600 XP
DEFENSE AC 16, touch 11, at-footed 15 (+1 Dex, +5 natural) hp 19 (3d8 +6) Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +2 Immune mind-affecting effects
SPECIAL ABILITIES
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft. Melee bite 2 claws +4 (1d4+2 plus grab) Special Attacks constrict (1d4+2)
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Tongue (Ex) A giant toad’s tongue is a primary attack with reach equal to three times the toad’s normal reach (15 feet for a Medium giant toad). A giant toad’s tongue deals no damage on a hit, but can be used to grab. A giant toad does not gain the grappled condition while using its tongue in their manner.
Flaming Sigils Half a mile from the northern edge of the marshy area are three strange trees featuring aming sigils upon their trunks. These signs are mystic anchors for the magic of the druidic grove further within the forest. The signs, placed right next to owing water, draw magical energy from the river, feeding the aming trees within the grove with opposite energy. This provides them with their magic. When the PC approaches the trees read the following text. You come around a small bend in the river and are confronted by three aming sigils etched upon the bark of three oak trees. The sigils shift and change shape with the rapidity of living ame.
The sigils provide light, but no heat. A successful DC 15 Knowledge (nature) or Spellcraft check provides the PC the following information concerning the signs. You think you’ve identied the purpose of the three aming signs. It appears that they’re draining mystic power from the nearby river and, if you’re reading them correctly, sending that power deeper into the woods behind them. They look ancient, so are probably not the cause of the recent sickness in Silverton, but you’ve a niggling sensation on the back of your neck that you’ve heard tell of signs such as these before.
If the PC succeeds on another DC 15 Knowledge (nature) or Spellcraft check read the following text. However, if the PC doesn’t notice him, Baggle becomes intrigued by her and her animal companion because it looks like they’re heading towards the Flaming Grove. Once the PC is out of sight, he’ll pace her, following far enough back where he can hear her, moving as quietly as possible. What Baggle eventually chooses to do is up to the GM. There’s the chance he’ll shadow the PC, waiting for a moment of weakness to attack or steal, but there is also the chance that, if the PC enters the stone circle, that he’ll reveal himself and ask to be trained in the ways of druidic magic. Which one occurs is left up to the GMs discretion on which aspect the player would nd most enjoyable.
You’ve got it! These signs were used by the ancient druids of Vurnoxep who had mastered the art of protecting their groves from the ravages of re. Somewhere in the forest, a circle of stones awaits - perhaps one not having felt the tread of druidic feet in ages. There is great knowledge within a hedge of stone; knowledge that may help Silverton.
A Scout If the PC chooses to investigate the forest interior she’ll be forced to trail blaze her own direction, as there are no trails or animal paths. About a mile into the forest she’ll stumble upon a goblin scout called Baggle. This creature has come down off the plateau to look at the Flaming Grove and then head down towards Silverton to check on the readiness of the hamlet. Perhaps he’ll get a chance to steal a chicken or goat or something of more value. As always, he’s trying to move quietly as he goes (DC 24 Perception to detect). Baggle’s just moved on from the Flaming Grove - he periodically visits, remaining outside the effects of the druidic magic. He likes to watch the aming sigils on the trees; they seem to speak to him on a very basic level. He does this about once a month, but lately he’s been thinking of just walking into the circle to see if he’ll be obliterated. Part of him thinks that the trees like him and would accept his care, but part thinks that he’s a loathsome worm not worthy of such an honor. If Baggle detects the walking PC and her Mushroom (DC 20 Perception check at 100 feet if the PC is taking no precautions, and which reduces by 1 per every 10 feet the PC comes closer), he’ll quickly nd the best hiding space and wait for the PC to pass by. Baggle’s not looking for a ght, he’d rather a knife in the back or a quick pilfer. If the PC detects Baggle, he’ll bolt in the opposite direction as fast as possible - an armed individual with a erce critter in tow is not his idea of a fair ght. After eeing for a while, he’ll hide and listen for pursuit. If none seems forthcoming, he’ll try to sneak back and locate the PC to follow her.
BAGGLE Goblin rogue 3 NE Small humanoid (goblinoid) Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
CR 3 800 XP
DEFENSE AC 15, touch 13, at-footed 13 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +1 size) hp 19 (3d8 +6) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1 Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee short sword +5 (1d4/19-20) Special Attacks rogue talent (bleeding attack), sneak attack +2d6
STATISTICS Abilities Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 6 Base Atk +2; CMB +1; CMD 13 Feats Alertness, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +8, Bluff +4, Disable Device +8, Escape Artist +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +14; Racial Modiers +4 Ride, +4 Stealth
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FIRE BEETLES (4)
Language Common, Goblin SQ trapnding Gear leather armor, shortsword, belt pouch with 25gp and a tourmaline (100gp)
CR 1/3
N Small vermin 135 XP Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +0
DEFENSE
The Flaming Grove
AC 12, touch 11, at-footed 12 (+1 natural, +1 size) hp 4 (1d8) Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0 Immune mind-affecting effects
Built by the ancient druidic cult of Vurnoxep, the Flaming Grove was one of their holiest sites. A re cult, the druids of Vurnoxep found a way of making trees immune to that most horrible enemy. By drawing the power of water from water, trees could be made to ame without damage. When the PC is within sight of the circle, read the following text.
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., y 30 ft. (poor) Melee bite +1 (1d4)
Coming over a slight hill, the trees give way a bit and you look down upon the site you were searching for: a circle of stones. More of the aming runic sigils decorate the trees around the stone circle, and each stone has a similar rune placed upon it as well. It looks as if you’ve found all that remains of the ancient druidic cult of Vurnoxep.
STATISTICS Abilities Str 10, Dex 11, Con 11, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 7 Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 9 (17 vs. trip) Skills Fly -2 SQ luminescence
If the PC succeeds on a DC 15 Knowledge (nature) or Spellcraft check read the following text.
SPECIAL ABILITIES Luminescence (Ex) A re beetle’s glowing glands provide light in a 10-foot radius. A dead re beetle’s luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death.
You can see the aming runes here are very similar to the ones on the trees near the banks of the Mussy. However, these runes are end points, rather than starting points. It seems as if all the power of the river’s mystic essence is transferred here and you suspect the glade is warded in some manner.
THE FIRE OF NATURE
CR 10
Type magic; Perception DC 29; Disable Device DC 29
EFFECTS
If the PC succeeds on another DC 15 Knowledge (nature) or Spellcraft check read the following text.
Trigger location; Reset automatic (resets in one round)
The dancing res of the aming sigils seem to speak to you in a primal tongue. You believe that the sigils are wards against non-druidic creatures. Apparently, those of the cult of Vurnoxep brooked no false feet upon their holy ground.
Effect when any creature but an animal, vermin, druid, or nature bonded creature enters the circle of stones (10d8 re damage, DC 17 Reex save for half damage); multiple targets (any within the stone circle); the ames do not damage plants nor non-living matter.
Within the circle, the PC is not only on consecrated ground, she is safe from any missile attack; a launched missile seems to hit an invisible barrier and drop to the ground next to the stone ring. Thankfully for the PC and Mushroom, neither of them are subject to the magical trap in the area (The Fires of Nature, see below), but other creatures are, and this has proven the area the ideal home to a group of re beetles living underground in the circle. They have created a trap-door, much like that of a trapdoor spider, directly in the center of the circle, and rush out if the door is trod upon. Their hole is small (barely big enough for them all) and serves as their den during the day. The druids of Vurnoxep used this small circle for divination purposes. If the PC casts any spell within the circle it turns into a commune with nature spell. If the PC is not suspecting such, she is overwhelmed by the ooding knowledge of all the land within 10 miles, and suffers a -2 to attacks and AC for the next round until she recovers. Through this, the PC gains knowledge that the source of Silverton’s sickness lies in the dwarf hold behind the waterfall, but it lies at some depth beyond what is detectable with the spell. She also learns its location perfectly as well as how to travel to avoid any dangerous woodland creatures, such as wolves. In addition, she learns of Baggle’s presence. What she chooses to do with that knowledge, and where exactly Baggle is (and what he’s up to) at the moment is the GM’s choice.
Outside the Dwarf-Hole About seven miles from The Flaming Grove, the Mussy falls off the plateau in a great waterfall. Behind the falls is an entrance to the old dwarf hold. Read the following when the PC approaches. You heard the low roar of a waterfall long before you see it, but now it stands before. The Mussy roars down out of the sky in a fall at least 70 feet tall, forming a pool around the cliff before owing down towards Silverton. You can see slight hints of phosphorescence in the water near the base of the waterfall, but it seems that the waterfall is clear of any contaminants. Behind the falls, an opening leads into the stone. There are some steps near the opening, but if there were any more, they’ve fallen into the waters below. It looks like climbing is the only way in.
Climbing up to the entrance is surprisingly easy. The stone cliff provides many hand-holds and is made of solid stone. A few places are tricky, but the PC needs only climb 20 feet, before reaching a grassy area that snakes around up to the steps. The climb is a DC 13.
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Inside the hold there are several common features that are repeated throughout the entire excavation. If a particular area does not specify different information, use the below. • Ceilings: Rough-cut and lightly arching. The ceilings are low, rarely higher than 7 feet. The ceilings are the leastnished aspect of the hold as dwarven inclination is rst the ground than the sky. • Floors: The oors are the only part of the hold completely nished and up to proper dwarven standards. They are completely level and well polished. Most feature ornamental inlays of non-native stone in geometric patterns. • Walls: Walls are in the last stage of construction, they are smooth and perpendicular to the oors, but lack any ornamental features. • Doors: Doors in the hold are solid stone, a good 4 inches thick and quite heavy. They are nished and each door features a different image from dwarven myth and legend. The doors are cunningly constructed and open both inward and outward. Light • : There is no natural light source in the hold except in areas 1 (light from entrance), 2 (light through arrow slits), 13 (phosphorous), area 16 (res from the lab). All the creatures within the hold are capable of dealing with darkness and the slight chill does not bother them. RECENT GOINGS ON Although Fosli and the mites have a friendly relationship, lately things have been strained. He has spent all his time in the laboratory and his experiments have obviously affected the underground forest for the worse. The mites have been trying to get him to stop his experiments, but Fosli’s overridden their arguments by saying that any damage done to the forest (from which the mites get most of their food) can easily be undone once he’s nished with his grand elixir - a draught that ends aging, hunger and of which the merest drop cures all poisons and diseases. The mites were unhappy with this, but they’re too afraid to challenge him directly. However, all of this has recently changed with the emergence of what they call the “purple worm” and the “bug dragon.” These two creatures have recently appeared in the underground forest and the mites have lost a few of their own to their predations. Because of this, they’re packing up and preparing to move to a small cave several miles away to the North. They expect to move back in a few months, perhaps a year at most, because they’re certain Fosli will be killed by his own creations. When the PC enters the hold, the mites are in the midst of such preparation, with the expectation of leaving the next day.
The Dwarf Hold Years ago, a clan of dwarfs tunneled under the river and created a small hold. They lived there for several generations and then disappeared. What happened is unknown, but the dwarf-hole has been vacant of intelligent life for almost a century. Vacant, that is, until recently. The normal cavern opportunists (stirges, giant centipedes) moved in fairly quickly and established small nests, but it was only a decade ago that a small family of mites found the hold through the escape and moved it. A few years later, a svirneblin names Fosli Jaspergetter also discovered the hold. Fosli, a loner from his people, outcast because of his strange experiments, had many harrowing adventures before eventually reaching the surface. Disliking the bright light of the sun, he stumbled upon the dwarf hold’s escape exit after only a week upon the surface. Crawling through, he worked his way into the hold proper and encountered the mites within. A ght ensued and after a few mites perished, they ed before him. Fosli explored further, always being cautious about the lurking mites, and discovered the underground forest and an abandoned alchemical laboratory. He knew he was home, and he knew he needed to get on the good side of the mites. He went out of the hold and killed a nearby deer he lured close with his wild empathy. Returning with the dead deer, he made offerings of peace to the mites, and they have since built a close relationship even though they are traditional enemies - the mites’ natural inclination to betray Fosli kept in check by the benets he brings to their growing family.
1 ENTRANCE CHAMBER The light from the doorway oods through the misty air illuminating this chamber in an almost surreal light. The room before you is carved from the very stone of the earth itself, 25 feet North-South and 20 East-West. The ceiling is barrel vaulted to a height of 15 feet and the wall opposite the entrance features two carved stone doors; one on in the Northwest corner, the other in the Southwest. Both of them are closed. All the walls, excepting that opposite you, feature stone benches carved directly into them. The oor has a beautiful geometric inlay featuring stone of a different color than that of the main stone. In the center of the chamber lie two skeletons, dressed in what at rst glance appears to be goblin garb.
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Opposite the PC are three arrow slits detectable with a successful DC 10 Perception check. The change of light in the room caused by the PC standing in the entranceway rouses the interest of 3 stirges nesting in area 2. They will rise up, y through the arrow slits and attack on the second round after the PC rst disturbs the light coming into the hold. The two skeletons are a pair of goblin scouts who decided to investigate the old hold a few years ago only to meet a grisly fate at the proboscises of stirges. Lying next to them are three stirge skeletons - casualties of the ght. The goblins each wear leather armor and a light wooden shield. They’re armed with a short sword, short bow, and 15 arrows. In pouches at their waist is a combined 25cp, 55sp, and 33gp.
STIRGE (3)
2 GUARD CHAMBER This plain chamber is 10 feet East-West and 15 NorthSouth. Along the Eastern wall are three slight alcoves featuring arrow slits. Sunlight streams through the slits providing dim, barely adequate lighting. Along the western wall a row of stone wardrobes are carved i nto the wall. All are closed excepting the one in the northeast corner.
This chamber was the guard chamber through which dwarven warriors could unload their crossbows onto foes in area 1. The wardrobes once held extra ammunition as well as additional suits of chainmail and melee weapons. They are currently empty excepting the open one, which has become a nest for the 3 stirges the PC encounters in area 1. The stirges have acquired a small treasure of shiny bits brought back to their nest: 6cp, 4sp, 12gp and a small garnet worth 25gp. Like area 1, the mites make sure the door to this chamber is kept closed. The mites could drive the stirges away, but then they would have to guard the main entrance and they’d rather leave that up to the stirges. The bloodsuckers easily drive away any animals that could make their way up the cliff and they have, so far, done a smashing job against the few plateau goblin scouts that have entered the hold.
CR 1/2
N Tiny magical beast 200 XP Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +1
DEFENSE AC 16, touch 16, at-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size) hp 5 (1d10) Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1
OFFENSE
3. DWELLING
Speed 10 ft., y 40 ft. (average) Melee touch +7 (attach) Special Attacks blood drain
A practical dwelling place reveals itself behind the opened door. Two 10 by 10 rooms are li nked by a short 5 foot long hallway. Cut out of the stone is what were once a table, a bookshelf, and two cupboards.
STATISTICS Abilities Str 3, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6 Base Atk +1; CMB +3 (+11 grapple while attached); CMD 9 (17 vs. trip) Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Fly +8, Stealth +16 SQ diseased
There is nothing of interest in this room, having been long abandoned. The interior room contains a stone-carved bed and a wardrobe. 4. DWELLING
SPECIAL ABILITIES
A practical dwelling place reveals itself behind the opened door. Two 10 by 10 rooms are li nked by a short 5 foot long hallway. Cut out of the stone is what were once a table, a bookshelf, and two cupboards.
Attach (Ex) When a stirge hits with a touch attack, its barbed legs latch onto a target, anchoring it in place. An attacked stirge is effectively grapping its prey. The stirge loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but holds on with great tenacity and inserts its proboscis into the grappled target’s esh. A stirge has a +8 racial bonus to maintain its grapple on a foe once it is attached. An attached stirge can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself—if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the stirge is removed. Blood Drain (Ex) A strige drains blood at the end of its turn if it is attached to a foe, inicting 1 point of Constitution damage. Once a stirge has dealt 4 points of Constitution damage, it detaches and ies off to digest the meal. If its victim dies before the stirge’s appetite has been sated, the stirge detaches and seeks a new target. Diseased (Ex) Due to the stagnant swamps in which they live and their contact with the blood of numerous creatures, stirges are harbingers of disease. Any creature subjected to a stirge’s blood drain attack has a 10% chance of being exposed to lth fever, blinding sickness, or a similar disease. Once this check is made, the victim can no longer be infected by this particular strige, though attacks from different stirges are resolved normally and may result in multiple illnesses.
The cupboard has a false bottom (Perception DC 15 to detect). Within is a beautiful pearl necklace, once the prized possession of an elderly dwarven matron. The necklace is worth 275gp. The interior room contains a stone-carved bed and a wardrobe. 5. LARGE DWELLING The door to this room opens slowly, being at least an inch thicker than most of the other doors. Within you see a 20 feet East-West and 10 North-South dwarven dwelling. As with all the dwelling rooms you’ve encountered, traditional dwarven furniture is carved out of the solid rock - a table, two cupboards, and the long dwarven bench lling in the open places along the walls. T he furniture here is intricately carved by a dwarf of obvious skill. There is a door on the northern wall at the west end of the chamb er.
There is nothing of interest in this room, having been long abandoned.
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ABANDONED DWARVEN HOLD 15
4 3 S
19 S
6
14
5
S
7
13
2
1
8
18
9 10 11
A
17
12
16
B
6. INTERIOR ROOM This inner chamber features two large, carved dwarven beds. Along the walls are several wardrobes and the benches along the walls are extended outward, creating a long sleeping area around the room. This interior room is the same dimensions as the main room preceding it. A smashed stone chest lies in the northeast corner - its broken lid in several pieces on the oor.
There is nothing of interest in this room, having been long abandoned.
This room once held all of the dwarven communal grain. Each bin was piled high in times of plenty and drawn down in times of want. It now serves as the mites’ toilet. They climb upon the stepladder and do their business into one of the bins. After a bin is lled, they move on to another bin. When the nal bin is halfway lled, they take the refuse from the oldest bin and transport it to area 13, to help feed and support the underground forest. The PC can easily tell the room has been used within the past day, if not more recently. 9 LARGE DWELLING The door to this room opens slowly, being at least an inch thicker than most of the other doors. Within you see a 20 feet East-West and 10 North-South dwarven dwelling. As with all the dwelling rooms you’ve encountered, traditional dwarven furniture is carved out of the solid rock - a table, two cupboards, and the long dwarven bench lling in the open places along the walls. T he furniture here is intricately carved by a dwarf of obvious skill. There is a door on the southern wall at the west end of the chamb er.
7. STORAGE ROOM This area was obviously once a storage room. Upon all of the walls are carved shelves and below the shelves are stone chest after stone chest. Both features are carved directly from the stone and all of the chest lids are open. A door is in the southwest corner on the southern wall of this 15 foot square room. There is a whiff of excrement in the air here.
This room once held all of the dwarven communal property. Anything of value was either removed or looted after they left. 8. GRAIN HOLD
There is nothing of interest in this room. 10 INTERIOR ROOM This inner chamber features two large, carved dwarven beds. Along the walls are several wardrobes and the benches along the walls are extended outward, creating a long sleeping area around the room. This interior room is the same dimensions as the main room preceding it. A stone chest lies in the southeast corner.
Along the southern wall of this 15 foot East-West and 10 foot North-South room are a series of deep bins carved out of stone. Each bin is roughly 5 by 5 and about 4 feet deep. In front of one bin is a small stepladder, built out of wood. The smell of excrement is very strong in this room.
There is nothing of interest in this room.
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empathic communication imparts on them a modicum of implanted intelligence, allowing mites to train Medium vermin and use them as mounts. Vermin empathy treats swarms as if they were one creature possessing a single mind—a mite can thus use this ability to inuence and direct the actions of swarms with relative ease.
11- 12. MITE LAIRS Note: this following description is for either area 11 or area 12, depending upon which area the PC explores rst. An explosion of action greets you as you open this door. Within, several small, misshapen humanoids scurry and screech as they busy arming themselves.
The mites are surprised for 1 round and then they are ready to engage in combat. They immediately call for their pet giant centipede from the back room and it arrives 1 round later. Once it engages in combat, the PC has 4 rounds to dispatch her opponents before a mite from room 12 (or room 11, if the PC opened room 12 rst) opens the door to see what the ruckus is about. Once an intruder is discovered, more mites and another giant centipede surge out of the other room in 3 rounds. In total there are 8 mites and 2 giant centipedes, evenly distributed between the two areas. Both areas are as those described in areas 3 and 4 excepting that the mites have made small bed/nests out of grasses gathered from the surface and that there are small cooking res in the corners of the most interior room. The mites here are poor, being neither strong nor numerous enough to gather much wealth, but what treasure they do have is stored in a hidden compartment (Perception DC 15 to detect) in room 12. Within is 221cp, 129sp, 73gp, a garnet (200gp,) and a sardonyx (50gp).
MITE (4)
CR 1/4
LE Small Fey 100 XP Init +1; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +5
DEFENSE AC 12, touch 12, at-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size) hp 3 (1d6) Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3 DR 2/cold iron Weaknesses light sensitivity
OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee dagger +0 (1d3-1/19-20) Ranged dart +2 (1d3-1) Special Attacks hatred Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st) At will—prestidigitation 1/day—doom (DC 10)
STATISTICS Abilities Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 8 Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 9 Feats Point-Blank Shot Skills Climb +7, Handle Animal +0, Perception +5, Ride +2, Sleight of Hand +9, Stealth +13; Racial Modiers +4 Sleight of Hand, +4 Stealth Languages Undercommon SQ vermin empathy +4
GIANT CENTIPEDE (2) N Medium vermin Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
CR 1/2 200 XP
DEFENSE AC 14, touch 12, at-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural) hp 5 (1d8+1) Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +0 Immune mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft. Melee bite +2 (1d6-1 plus poison) Special Attacks poison
STATISTICS Abilities Str 9, Dex 15, Con 12, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2 Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 11 (can’t be tripped) Feats Weapon FinesseB Skills Climb +10, Perception +4, Stealth +10; Racial Modiers +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
SPECIAL ABILITIES Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
13. UNDE RGROUN D FOREST This unusual forest has an equally unusual origin. Long ago, a wizard’s experiment with dimensional travel went horribly awry and he found himself, and a goodly chuck of the forest he was within, inside a mountain. Try as he might, he could not nd an exit out of his predicament and he perished after living in the magic forest for many years. The forest here exists without sunlight, only a dim glow permeates the entire area. Until recently, it was a pleasant and almost unchanging place where the mites scavenged for small insects and ate the fruits from the fruit bearing trees. Within the large cavern was an apple, a cherry, and a pear tree. All of this has changed in the past year, as Fosli’s experiments altered the pleasant nature of the underground forest for the worse. Read the following text when the PC rst sees the underground forest. A truly unusual sight unfolds before you. Out of the carven order of a dwarven hold springs a very large natural cavern, misty with a glowing green and purple mist. The oor of the cavern is at least 20 feet down a sharp cliff and within the shifting haze you can see what you swear are trees; or at least were once trees. They now all appear without leaves as if a phosphorescing winter were upon them. A 5-foot-wide path hugs the northern end of the cavern. Directly across the cavern from you to the west is a short hallway ending with a dwarven door and you believe the cliff path continues south on the opposite side of the cave. It becomes very misty there, but it looks like the path there splits, with one section descending to the oor of the underground forest while the other continues hugging the side of the cave at your current height.
SPECIAL ABILITIES Hatred (Ex) Mites receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the dwarf or gnome subtype due to special training against theses hated foes. Vermin Empathy (Ex) This ability functions as a druid’s wild empathy, save that a mite can only use this ability on vermin. A mite gains a +4 racial bonus on this check. Vermin are normally mindless, but this
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The cave here is rather immense and the PC’s sight is limited to about 30 to 40 feet, due the mist and haze. It plunges over 25 feet down and the surface of the cave is spongy with years of accumulated leaf shedding. There are two encounter areas within the large underground forest: A indicates where the “purple worm” is located while B is the location of the “bug dragon” and the poisoning tree (the tree that is the cause of the sickness in Silverton). Each of these sub-areas are detailed below. 13A: LAIR OF THE “PURPLE WORM” Read the following text when the PC descends from the upper track along the underground forest to the oor of the cave. You follow the sloping ledge to the bottom of the underground forest and the mist and haze here seems as dense as pea soup. It doesn’t smell nearly so good, however, and your druidic nose understand that the natural smell of decay has been replaced by something entirely unnatural. The oor is spongy from years of detritus and slightly moist. Suddenly, you hear a slithering sound and an intake of breath.
The PC hears the “purple worm” breathing in preparation to blast her with his icy breath. She has one round to react before it attacks from 30 feet away. The “purple worm” is a giant mutated earthworm. It has been horribly altered by the phosphorous leaking from the poisoning tree and turned into something that is entirely unrecognizable. It is the only of its kind, although there is the chance that another may be created given enough time. If so, they could be the progenitors of a brand new species of monster. It is rather hungry and will ght to the death. The breath of the “purple worm” clears out some of the mist and haze in the underground forest and the PC can detect an increased level of phosphorescence towards the south where the poisoning tree and the “bug dragon” await.
“PURPLE W ORM” N Medium magical beast Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1
CR 2 600 XP
DEFENSE AC 14, touch 10, at-footed 14 (+4 natural) hp 14 (2d10+3) Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +0 Resist cold 5
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee bite +2 (1d4) Special Attacks breath weapon (10-ft. cone, once every 1d4 rounds, 1d8 cold damage, Reex DC 13 for half)
STATISTICS Abilities Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 6 Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 12 Feats Toughness Skills Stealth +5
13B: THE “BUG DRAGON” AND THE POISONING TREE. Read the following text when the PC approaches the area. The phosphorescence increases as you move south and soon a single tree looms large in your vision. It is the obvious source of the strange liquid as it is oozing from sores upon its bark. The tree has been horribly corrupted, but by what is not apparent. As you look at the tree branches, you see a small pair of glistening eyes upon one of its higher branches.
The eyes, of course, belong to the “bug dragon.” This strange creature is all that remains of a once-tiny lizard who drank too many times of the goo from the poison tree. It is hungry and is sizing up the PC to see if she is prey or predator. If the PC is with her Mushroom, the “bug dragon” will not attack as Mushroom is too erce for its liking. If the PC is alone, there is a 75% chance that it will attack, driven by hunger.
“BUG DRAGON”
CR 1
N Tiny magical beast 400 XP Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +2
DEFENSE AC 16, touch 16, at-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size) hp 13 (2d10+2) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2
OFFENSE Speed 10 ft., y 40 ft. (perfect) Melee +7 (1d4) Special Attacks caustic blood
STATISTICS Abilities Str 5, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 10 Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip) Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Fly +17, Stealth +16
SPECIAL ABILITIES Caustic Blood (Ex) If damaged by melee attack, the attacker must succeed on a DC 12 Reex save or be hit by the spray of the wound, dealing 1hp of acid damage.
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The dust and debris falling from the hidden door as you open it suggests it has not been opened in a very long time. Peering through the dust, you see a small chamber, no bigger than a large wardrobe. Inside is a skeleton in tattered clothing, a wooden chest, and more importantly at giant snake seemingly made of iron!
The iron cobra was the guardian of the poor trapped wizard and it still performs its duties. It immediately attacks and will pursue the PC down to the underground forest unless destroyed. On the skeleton is a ring of sustenance, a wand of magic missiles (15 charges - 5th level caster) and an old leather pouch that has managed to survive containing 76gp. In the chest is a pile of desiccated leafs. Upon them is faded writing, but if they are touched, they immediately crumble to dust. If the PC reads them before touching paraphrase the wizard’s story in broken and incomplete sentences. The wizard attempted to record his life and what happened to him, but his medium of record proved temporary.
IRON COBRA
CR 2
N Small construct Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0
600 XP
DEFENSE AC 20, touch 13, at-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, +1 size) hp 15 (1d10+10) Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0 DR 5/—; Immune construct traits; SR 13
OFFENSE Speed 40 ft. Melee bite +3 (1d6+1 plus poison)
STATISTICS Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1 Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 13 (can’t be tripped) Skills Stealth +12; Racial Modiers +6 Stealth SQ nd target
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Curing the poisoning tree (and the entire underground forest for that matter) depends upon ending Fosli’s mad experiments in area 16. There will be an almost immediate effect when the drain no long runs with the foul liquid from the lab. Within seconds, the underground forest becomes less hazy. After a few minutes, the haze is completely gone. It will take several days for the forest to return to normal (as its magic reasserts itself), but after only 5 minutes the poisoning tree stops oozing. The waters of the Mussy run clear within a week. 14. WIZARD’S CACHE The cave of the underground forest has a secret area high (about 20 ft from ground level) upon its eastern wall. The area was never discovered by the dwarves who carved their hold as it was placed there long ago by the very wizard who created the underground forest. It was his last living action. During the ages since his passing, the forest oor has progressively sunk deeper and deeper into the earth, so this area has risen higher and higher upon the wall. Climbing the cave wall requires a successful DC 15 Climb check. Read the following text if the PC discovers (DC 25) and opens the hidden door.
Find Target (Su) Once per day, an iron cobra’s creator can order it to nd and kill a specic creature within 1 mile, which it does as if guided by discern location. The creator must have seen or be holding an item f rom the specied creature for this order to function. Poison (Ex) An iron cobra’s bite injects poison from a hidden reservoir within its body. Because it is a construct, the cobra does not naturally produce this poison, and its creator must rell this reservoir manually. The reservoir holds enough poison for 3 successful bite attacks, after which the creature merely deals bite damage. Relling the reservoir takes 5 rounds and provokes attack of opportunity. The creator can ll the reservoir with any injury poison (typically black adder venom), though acid, alchemical substances, and even stranger liquids have been used. Black Adder Venom : Bite—injury; save Fort DC 11, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 1 save.
15. FORGE
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This L-shaped room was obviously a forge for its prior inhabitants. Carved out of stone and against every wall are a series of small forging replaces and a single, giant anvil sits upon a short stone platform. Its size and weight is impressive. Next to each small forging replace is a stone-carved tool cabinet which once would have housed the countless implements used in the art of metalworking.
Within the chimney of the rst replace is a choker. It’s been using the chimney as a home for a few days now. It’s been cautiously examining the underground hold and, having found almost no threats in the vicinity, has decided to nest here, foraging on the surface at night. Eventually it will settle back into its preferred subterranean life if it can nd enough prey on which to survive. As it is in the chimney, it will not be detected by the PC unless she explicitly looks up through the vent holes. As stealthily as it can, the choker will poke its head out of a chimney (DC 23 to detect) and gauge the PC. If it decides she is prey, it will make a slight natural-sounding noise to draw her attention to its lair and pounce when appropriate.
CHOKER CE Small aberration Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1
CR 2 600 XP
Fosli is too engaged in his work to turn and look at the PC. He assumes she’s one of the mites come to annoy him again about how the underground forest is being hurt by his tremendously vital alchemical activities. He’s tired of that argument and purposely chooses to ignore the PCs presence until he becomes aware that she’s not a mite. Once he realizes that it’s not a mite behind him, he ares into a terrible rage and attacks as strongly as possible. He will ght to the death rather than surrender his work to the hands of anyone other than himself. Destroying the contents of the bubbling cauldron is a simple affair. After the cauldron is removed from heat it congeals and hardens as strong as stone. At the end of this process it ceases phosphorescing and is no longer poisonous.
FOSLI
Svirfneblin ranger 2 600 XP N Small humanoid (gnome) Init +2; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
DEFENSE AC 17, touch 13, at-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size) hp 16 (3d8+3) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +4
DEFENSE AC 15, touch 15, at-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +2 dodge, +1 size) hp 22 (2d10+7) Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2 SR 13
OFFENSE Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft. Melee 2 tentacles +6 (1d4+3 plus grab) Space 5ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks constrict (1d4+3), strangle
OFFENSE Speed 20 ft. (15 ft. in armor) Melee heavy pick +4 (1d4+1/x4) Ranged light crossbow +5 (1d6/19-20) Special Attacks favored enemy (dwarf +2), +1 to attack vs. dwarven and reptilian humanoids Spell-like Abilities (CL 2nd) Constant—nondetection 1/day— blindness/deafness (DC 12), blur , disguise self
STATISTICS Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 7 Base Atk +2; CMB +4 (+8 grappling); CMD 16 Feats Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Stealth) Skills Climb +16, Stealth +13 Language Undercommon SQ quickness
STATISTICS
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Abilities Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8 Base Atk +2; CMB +2 ; CMD 16 Feats Point Blank Shot, Toughness Skills Craft (alchemy) +7, Heal +5, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +6, Stealth +12 (+14 underground), Survival +5 (+6 tracking); Racial Modiers +2 Craft (alchemy), +2 Perception, +2 Stealth (+4 Stealth underground) Language Gnome, Undercommon SQ stonecunning, track, wild empathy +1 Gear heavy pivk, light crossbow, 20 bolts, potion of cure light wounds, 5 10-gp gems
Strangle (Ex) Chokers have an unerring talent for seizing their victims by the neck. A creature that is grappled by a choker cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components. Quickness (Su) A choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra move action during its turn each round.
16. LABORATORY When the PC opens the door to this area read the following. About 15 feet away, the short hallway you stand in open into a well-illuminated room. Within you can hear the sounds of ames and bubbling. The light is not only that of ickering ames, but much of it is that green phosphorescent color you have come to remove from the waters of the Mussy.
17. TEMPLE This ornate chamber is 25 feet East-West and 20 NorthSouth and lled with pews facing the west. The western side of the chamber features a dais upon which an ornately carved lectern rests. Behind the lectern, the entire wall is carved in bas-relief; a giant illustration of the great dwarven god forging his people out of the metal of the mountains.
When the PC is able to see the room as a whole, read the following. This large room is obviously a laboratory of some sort. Alembics, balances, beakers and vials are scattered throughout the chamber. Three separate replaces are carved out of the stone along with multiple cabinets for storage. In the southwest corner, his back to you, is a small gure you immediately recognize as a svirfneblin. His entire focus is upon the large bubbling cauldron lled with a phosphorescent green liquid. On the oor next to his feet is a drain, through which the liquid that bubbles out and over the cauldron travels into the earth.
CR 2
The temple here is a small one, but the community it served was small. There is nothing of value in this room but the giant carved relief and that is far from portable.
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OFFENSE
18. GREAT HALL This grand chamber is 15 feet East-West and 40 NorthSouth. The northern side of the chamber features a dais upon which an ornately carved throne rests. The sides of the chamber feature blind arcades and benches while the center has a great repit - empty and cold now, but which at one time would have made a goodly blaze.
Any guest allowed past area 1 eventually found their way to his room for an audience with the clan chief and elders. Many stories were told here and disputes settled, but now all is dark and cold. In the re pit, under the ashes of the nal re, the PC can nd a giant piece of melted copper worth 10gp. The dwarves of this clan would throw a copper penny into the re at full blaze, hoping for a wish to come true. When the re pit was clogged by the amount of thrown copper, the metal would be removed and taken to the forge, returning to the community based upon which family has the greatest need - ensuring that the well wishes of those casting the pennies would at least result in the continued strength of the clan as a whole. There is a secret door behind the throne requiring a DC 20 Perception check to detect. It leads to a small passageway that also ends in a secret door, DC15 to detect from this side. 19. SECRET ESCAPE This roughly-carved cave is about 15 feet square. There is a very small passageway, no more than 4 feet high and only 18 inches wide exiting north.
This chamber was only roughly hollowed out and a small passage through which a dwarf would need to squeeze leads out to a concealed exit upon the surface of the plateau. This was the “postern gate” for the dwarven hold. It is through this area that the mites and Fosli entered the hold. The secret door connected to area 18 is only a DC 10 to detect from this side as some of its concealments have worn away with age.
Speed 20 ft Melee masterwork quarterstaff +5 (1d6+1) Ranged masterwork sling +6 (1d4+1) Special Attacks hatred (+1 to attack vs. reptilian and goblinoid), orisons, spells, spell-like abilities, wild shape (1/day) Spell-like Abilities (CL 4th) 1/day— dancing lights (DC 11), ghost sound (DC 11), prestidigitation, and speak with animals Spells Known (CL 4th) 2nd—barkskin, bull’s strength, ame blade 1st— cure light wounds, entangle, magic stone, shillelagh 0—detect magic, know direction, light, stabilize
STATISTICS Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12 Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 15 Feats Brew Potion, Dodge Skills Climb +5, Fly +6, Handle Animal +6, Heal +7, Knowledge (geography) +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +10, Profession (herbalist) +9, Ride +7, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +6, Survival +9, Swim +5; Racial Modiers +2 Craft, +2 Perception, +2 Profession Language Common, Druidic, Gnome, Sylvan SQ Nature bond (badger), nature sense, wild empathy, woodland stride, trackless step, wild shape (1/day) Gear amulet of natural armor +1, backpack, blanket, divine focus (25 gp), healer’s kit, masterwork quarterstaff, masterwork sling, bullets (10), potion of cure light wounds (2), ring of protection +1, rope ( hemp), +1 studded leather armor, waterskin, 5 torches, 2 25gp gems, 10 gp, 25 sp, 50 cp. MUSHROOM
(so named for his predilection for fungi)
Badger, nature bond N Medium animal Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8
DEFENSE
Concluding the Adventure If the PC is successful in cleaning the Mussy, she’ll be hailed as a hero by the villagers of Silverton. They’ll offer to build her a small house and provide a fee-free lease to some tillable land if she would like to stay in the hamlet. Other than that, the villager will provide the PC with 100gp and all the free meals she likes if she seems to be one looking for a different reward.
Pre-generated Character BESH Gnome druid 4 CG Small female humanoid (gnome) Init +3; Senses Low-light vision; Perception +10
DEFENSE AC 19, touch 14, at-footed 16 (+3 armor, +1 enhancement, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +1 size) hp 33 (4d8+12) Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +3 (+5 vs. illusion spells and effects) Defensive Abilities defensive training (+4 dodge to AC vs. giant), resist nature’s lure (+4 saves vs. spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey and effects utilizing and/or targeting plants)
AC 17, touch 13, at-footed 14 (+4 natural, +3 Dex) hp 34 (4d8+16) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2 Defensive Abilities evasion
OFFENSE Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft. Melee bite +5 (1d6+2), 2 claws +5 (1d4+2) Special Attacks rage (as a barbarian for 6 rounds per day)
STATISTICS Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip) Feats Skill Focus [Perception], Toughness Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +6, Escape Artist +7, Perception +8 SQ link, share spell, tricks (attack, heel, down, come)
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